University requirements make student well-rounded, wiser
Tweet
Zack Colman believes the college experience would be better without university requirements, as stated in his column, Graduating in four years unlikely plan (SN 3/27).
What Colman fails to appreciate is the true value of a well-rounded education.
He states that “I am taking an ISB lab … instead of becoming a more well-rounded journalist.” Colman; by taking this course you are becoming a more well-rounded journalist.
Ask any science or engineering major about the quality of media articles on scientific issues today — it’s obvious that far too many journalism students have had little to no science classes at all. MSU is a university, not a trade school.
If Colman wishes to go to an institution that would merely put out overspecialized machines designed for one goal, there are numerous trade schools in any profession.
Thankfully, MSU is not a trade school, and is more concerned about putting out well-rounded students and citizens than specialized employees.
As a computer science major, I am required to take a cognate in a non-engineering field, and I chose criminal justice. I have not enjoyed all of these courses and I do not expect much of the knowledge to be relevant to me later in life.
However, I am unquestionably better for having taken them and having been exposed to such viewpoints.
That, more than anything else, is the benefit of a true education. I certainly hope MSU continues to be led by people who can appreciate long-term benefits over short-term convenience.
Brian Beck
computer science senior
Commentary
Add your $0.02, go to the comment form or follow the comment feed
student
(03/29/09 8:26pm)Report
I agree.
Spoon
(03/30/09 9:28am)Report
Bull.
IAH and ISS do make a student “think,” but I don’t buy for a second that taking sixteen credits worth of those classes have made me a more “well-rounded” individual.
Want to be well-rounded? How about a personal finance course, so students aren’t overwhelmed when they have to start paying off their student loans. How about a personal fitness or a nutrition course, to alleviate the effects of the freshman fifteen or the four-year forty? Want to get students to be more aware of the larger world around them, instead of just their own personal bubble? How about a current issues course? (I know some IAH/ISS do cover some current events, but I don’t think it’s enough).
This recent MSU alum thinks that IAH/ISS in its current form is just a money grab by the school, and the benefits it has to the student are marginal at best.
Make IAH/ISS optional, or start having high schools teach that nonsense, where students are going to eventually forget everything they learn there anyway.
Marcus
(03/30/09 12:00pm)Report
“Make IAH/ISS optional, or start having high schools teach that nonsense, where students are going to eventually forget everything they learn there anyway.” – Spoon
IAH 201 was taught in high school. I never did any work in that class, because it was all review.